


Hunted

by a_cascade



Category: Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six (Video Games)
Genre: M/M, jaeger is a bond girl, rated T for now but rating will go up soon, spy AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-02
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-11-08 07:15:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17976800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_cascade/pseuds/a_cascade
Summary: During a mission Sledge encounters a man he had once thought to be dead, rekindling old memories and old love.





	Hunted

****He felt it as soon as he entered the room, a tingling sensation that began in the back of his neck and then spread all the way through his body. He was no stranger to this feeling, it was all part of the job, and he knew without a single ounce of uncertainty that he was being watched. The banquet was full of many highly important people, some famous, some exerting a subtler form of power, some who lead secret lives. Hundreds had gathered in the massive hall to celebrate the opening of the new German headquarters for Berkman Finance, one of the largest banks in the Netherlands that was quickly gaining ground worldwide.

 

He meandered his way through the crowd of distinguished guests and their waiters balancing trays of champagne flutes and cocktail shrimp. No one would ever recognize him, but he turned heads wherever he went. He had a striking presence that made him stand out from the other dignitaries. For one thing, he was much taller than most men and the way he carried himself suggested that he’d worn suits plenty of times in the past but by no means was he used to it. Every so often he’d adjust his collar or straighten out his sleeves, checking to make sure he still looked presentable. The suit fit him nicely enough, but it was still uncomfortable.

 

He was sent here to observe, nothing more. He had a keen eye for details and he was a good soldier. Rainbow couldn’t have chosen a better man for the job, but putting up one of their best also meant they had the risk of losing him. Sledge was to keep low and avoid altercation with the target.

 

He spotted his partner across the hall and gave him a knowing look. Jordan Trace returned his gaze, dipping his head shallowly in acknowledgement before looking away. The two of them worked well together, with Thermite using his charismatic nature to his advantage and himself taking a more meticulous approach, looking for weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Jordan was a smooth talker, Seamus was anything but.

 

Sledge was codename he had received for his blunt yet tactful nature. He was straightforward and efficient when necessary, but he knew how to game as well. Seamus knew in all his experience that the best way to trap a hunter was with a lure. He would make the predator his prey in the end. It was only a matter of time, he just had to be patient and wait for the right moment to present itself.

 

And then he saw it.

 

He thought it must have been his imagination, that some part of him wanted to see and believe something that wasn’t reality. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a blond who had been watching him for a quite some time. Every so often he would glance Seamus’ way and stare at him for a long moment before returning to his conversation with a few of the other guests. His gestures were calculated and elegant, but he stood with the perfect rigidity of a soldier. Yes, it had to be him. Marius Streicher, the man at the center of it all. Sledge was shook to the core, not quite sure what to do with this newfound knowledge. He watched him for a long moment and waited for the man to look his way again.

 

When they locked eyes Seamus felt his heart skip a beat and all the air escape his lungs. The blond looked surprised for a moment but then a flirtatious smirk graced his lips. The man was sinfully handsome, sporting a navy blue pinstripe blazer and white collared shirt. He gave Seamus a once over and with a lingering look turned his attention back to his group. Seamus recognized the man Streicher was with after a moment. Klaus Graf, chief financial officer of Weber & Schaefer, a German bank. One of the largest banks in the world, in fact. Graf was a slender, frail-looking man who stood taller than the blond even with his somewhat hunched stature. Seamus wondered what a man like him was doing with someone like that.

 

Seamus made his way over to the bar and ordered himself a cognac, keeping the blond in his sight. Seamus took a sip of his drink, feeling the brandy burn down his throat and ease his tensions. Then the lights in the hall dimmed and everyone in the room turned their eyes to the massive stage at the front of the hall. When Seamus scanned the room for the Streicher again he had vanished. The Scot mentally cursed himself for allowing himself to get distracted and lose sight of the man.

 

“I’m not much of a fan of these things.”

 

He was in the middle of sipping his drink when the man in question suddenly appeared again, striding up to the bar to stand next to him. Seamus could hear the intonations signifying the blond’s German heritage in his voice. Streicher winked at Seamus as he approached. He moved gracefully, seeming to smoothly glide as he walked.

 

“Too many people?”

 

“Too loud.”

 

Seamus gave the man an amused look. “Then why are you here?” He said into his glass.

 

“I think I could ask you the same.” The German stopped a passing waiter and took a flute of champagne from his tray. He took a small sip and recoiled at the taste, muttering some off-handed comment under his breath about the wine being too dry. “You don’t belong here either.”

 

“Pardon?”

 

“You’re too obvious. I spotted you almost immediately.”

 

“ _How_ are you here?” Sledge’s expression was suddenly stern. His eyes darted around the other man’s face as if he were seeing him for the first time. He watched the hunter carefully, looking for anything in his face that might give any sort of indication as to what he was thinking. “I thought you were dead.”

 

Marius smiled, “You thought wrong.”

 

“Three months ago on the night of the attack in Hanover, three members of the GSG9 went missing,” Seamus decided to get straight to the point. Marius’ eyes flashed with interest. He must have thought Sledge hadn’t noticed the brief moment of surprise on his face. “Elias Kötz, Monika Weiss, and you. Elias Kötz was a dear friend to me—I would’ve done anything for him. And here you are, the only person who might have known what happened to them.”

 

“And so you want closure? You thought you’d come hunt me down yourself, is that right?” He’d spent endless nights hunting down clues about Elias’ disappearance. He’d obsessed over it. He’d obsessed over  _him_. Marius, the elusive man who’d slipped through the cracks during all his prowling. He left no trace whatsoever apart from his name. Now that he’d found the one person who might have an answer to what happened to his comrades he wasn’t going to just let him slip away. “But it’s not just about that, is it?”

 

“Of course not.” Seamus said softly. His gaze was intense. Marius Streicher was a careful man, but eventually Seamus caught onto his trail. But it wasn’t a trail left by mistake. He had wanted to be found. He had wanted someone to track him down and now Seamus had finally succeeded. He reached out, mesmerized, and gently touched Marius’ cheek. The German didn’t even flinch, but his eyes darkened as he leaned into the touch.

 

The lights dimmed even further, almost into complete darkness, and the music faded to complete silence as the lights came up on stage, drawing the attention of everyone in the room. Then music started up again and someone walked out onto the massive platform. She greeted all the attendees, her voice resonating throughout the hall.

 

“Well, now you’ve got me.”

 

Marius shifted closer to him, so close that he could feel the heat radiating off the other man’s body. Over the announcer's voice and quiet chattering all around them he could clearly hear his own heart pounding in his ears. In the darkness he felt the other man’s hand creep up his arm and around the nape his neck and wondered whether he had become the prey after all. One of his hands found its way to the shorter man’s waist as Marius played with his shirt collar. The German leaned up and Seamus could feel the ghost of a whisper brushing softly at his ear.

 

“Do you remember that night,” Marius said, just loud enough for Seamus to hear him over the announcer, “the night we spent together?” He suckled at the spot just beneath his ear and Seamus shivered in pleasure.

 

“How could I forget?” The Scot answered. Then the shorter man pulled him close so suddenly that he had to grip the bar behind the man to keep himself from falling into him. Their bodies were pressed together and Marius was burning beneath him. The German simply smiled with a cunning glint in his eyes, seeming thoroughly pleased with the situation. He knew he was in control.

 

“Seamus,” Marius hissed into his ear. “I’d like to do that again.”

 

“You don’t know my intentions.” The hunter smirked at that as if to say _yes I do_. His eyes were lidded as he brushed his lips lightly against Seamus’. He smelled of cinnamon and myrrh, as intoxicating as a good liquor. He cupped the side of Sledge’s face with a hand and caressed his stubbled cheek. Seamus hesitated but then gave in and let the rigidness slip from his body as he pressed his lips gently against Marius’ and felt the emotion of all the long months of tension, all the time spent searching flooding over him. He couldn’t tell if he was trembling or Marius.

 

Marius’ lips were warm and pleasantly soft. Despite his assertive nature he was surprisingly tender and submissive as he tilted his head up ever so slightly into the kiss. The hunter melted in his embrace, and Sledge felt as if he could stay lost in the moment forever and relish in the sweetness of the German’s soft lips. Marius, being somewhat older and far more experienced guided him through the kiss, egging him on.

 

The German broke away panting softly, “You like that,  _ja_?” Seamus didn’t answer, he only captured the man’s lips with his own once more, this time with more fervor. Marius moaned in surprise and returned the kiss with just as much eagerness. He entangled his fingers in the man’s short blond locks and and Marius was grasping his shirt so desperately, as if letting go of Seamus for a single instant would cause him to slip into a bottomless sea.

 

“Fuck.” The German just leaned against the bar, his face flushed a nice rosey pink as he stared at the Scot in what can only be described as awe. “You always come off as some sort of prude, but then you go and kiss me like that...” The crowd was applauding around them and then he heard a new voice echoing in his ears as someone joined the first announcer on stage. It was the CFO of Berkman Finance himself.

 

“Ever since that day I knew I had to find you.” Seamus caressed one of Marius’s lightly stubbled cheeks. “No matter where you were, no matter where you ended up.” He kissed him once more, slowly devouring him, savoring the sweetness of his mouth. Marius was very responsive to his touch, tilting his head to lean into Seamus’ hand on his cheek, sighing and arching his back as Seamus caressed his sides and trailed a hand down his chest. Marius broke away out of breath. He gripped Seamus’ hand against his cheek and ran his thumb over the Scot’s knuckles lovingly.

 

Then the German’s grip tightened on his arm and his body became stiff. Seamus knew something was wrong. “What is it?” He questioned him.

 

“Listen to me,” Marius voice came out desperate and quivered as he spoke. “We are being watched. See that lady with the black hair at the end of the bar?” Sledge turned his head slightly and spotted the woman making a deliberate effort not to make eye contact with him. “She’s with them. I know she is.”

 

“With who? What have you gotten yourself into, Marius?” Sledge said, mortified. The German’s grip on his shoulder tightened. There was panic in his eyes. Sledge had never seen him look so terrified. “Let me help you.”

 

“You can’t. Forget about me.”

 

“I can’t.” Sledge’s hand left his cheek and trailed down to rest on the nape of his neck. He stared deeply into the German’s eyes. “You know why I’m here.”

 

“Yes.” They were two men caught in a cat-and-mouse game of mutual obsession. He gently pushed Seamus off and spun them around so that now Seamus was the one with his back to the bar. The German leaned in close again, his voice low. “Try and catch me.”

 

Marius pulled away at the exact moment a large group of dignitaries passed by and slipped through them seamlessly. Seamus called out for him, but he could barely hear himself over the noise of the crowd. He pushed through the cluster, apologizing as he maneuvered through them. Sledge frantically searched to try and spot Marius among them. The house lights came back on, illuminating the room once more, but the hunter had vanished like smoke, nowhere to be found.

 

 

 

It seemed Seamus’ life would forever be filled with surprises, and not all of them were pleasant. So he did his best not to snap at Jordan when he admitted to losing track of Marius. The fault was truly his own, after all. But it was hard enough finding Marius the first time, it would be incredibly difficult to track him down again. As much as he wanted to kick and scream to let out his frustrations, he needed to keep a level head. Seamus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. His breath turned to fog in the air between them. Jordan frowned as he leaned against the wall across from him.

 

“Don’t look at me like that.” Sledge grumbled.

 

“Like what?”

 

“Like a kicked puppy, you moron.”

 

Jordan chuckled and rubbed one of his hands with the other. He was wearing white gloves with his suit, not to match or look more sophisticated but to cover up the innumerable burn scars that blemished his hands. Sledge knew sometimes they still caused him discomfort. It relieved some of his tension just to see Jordan smile.

 

“So that was him, then?” Jordan finally said. “Marius—he’s alive after all.” Sledge hummed in confirmation. He was relieved to see the man alive, but it pained him to know that he wasn’t entirely free of this mess. “I saw what you did back there.”

 

“I let my emotions get the best of me.” Seamus dragged his hands over his face. He could still taste the German on his lips, feel his hands on his skin.

 

“I saw the way he looked at you.” Jordan pushed himself off the wall and moved to stand in the middle of the alley. The city of Frankfurt bustled all around them on that cool night, the sound of the metropolis nearly deafening. “You stirred something in him and now he’s interested.”

 

“Yeah, I can think of what he’s pining for.” His partner gave him a wink and the Scotsman playfully shoved him by the shoulder, causing him to stumble back. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Jordan.”

 

“Fuck off. You were thinking it, too.” A cheeky grin spread across Sledge’s face. “It’s not just _that_ , though. Hear me out.” Jordan’s hands were animated with gestures as he spoke. “Unless he’s in on whatever this is, he’s gotta be looking for someone who can pursue this more actively than he can. An ally. That’s where you come in.” The Texan emphasized this by poking him square in the chest. Seamus smacked his hand away.

 

Jordan continued, “I think you got to him.” The Texan stared at him pensively and Seamus returned the look with confusion in his eyes. “He’s got a lot of faith in you. Always has.”

 

“So let’s say you’re right about all this,” Seamus said as he crossed his arms. “Why would he run from me?”

 

“He’s just scared, Seamus. Scared of what it means for you to be here.” Jordan said. Sledge felt like a rock had settled in his stomach. He exhaled deeply as if he had been holding his breath. “Whoever’s after him must be the real deal. Marius ain’t the type to scare easily.” The Texan reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter decorated with a union jack.

 

Sledge gave him a questioning look. “You don’t smoke.”

 

“I don’t.” Jordan pulled a cigarette out of the pack with his lips and held it there. After he slipped the pack in his pocket he cupped his hand in front of the end to block the wind while he lit it. “But Mike does.”

 

“You miss him?”

 

“More than I’ve ever missed anybody.” The Texan took a drag and exhaled into the alley between them. “Been about weeks since I’ve seen him.”

 

Sledge smiled softly at the thought of how sweet the two of them were. “Have you called him?”

 

Jordan shook his head and took another drag, a distant and forlorn look in his eyes. “He’s real busy right now.”

 

 

 

“Where’d you go, Marius?” Sledge murmured to himself as he mulled over the file in front of him. His chest ached with a pain he hadn’t felt in a long time. He didn’t expect the encounter to affect him like this, but ever since he’d seen Marius the man was constantly on his mind. He felt deeply anxious knowing that he was out there somewhere, still in danger, and there was nothing he could do.

 

The room was almost completely dark aside from the light coming from the lamp on his desk. He was starting to get a bit antsy with being cooped up in the office, but it had rained for six days straight. As much as he’d have loved to get back out to Frankfurt and hunt down Streicher himself, he had too many obligations in Britain. The door to the office opened and the room was suddenly filled with blinding white light. Sledge groaned and covered his eyes with his hands.

 

“Someone’s up early.” Twitch used her back to gently shut the door behind her. She was carrying a coffee in each hand. She gave him a pitiful look as she came around to his desk. “I was saving this one for Elena, but you look like you need it more.” She set the coffee cup in front of him on the desk. Sledge turned the cup around to look at the markings written on the outside and gave Twitch a questioning look. _Double espresso_ , she mouthed. Sledge chuckled and thanked her.

 

“Didn’t take you for a morning person.” Sledge said as he took a sip of the coffee. It was still hot and had a bit more cream that he would have liked but he didn’t mind it much. He already felt more awake.

 

“Well, you’re never here this early in the morning.” Twitch leaned close to him to look at the files he was going over. Marius Streicher stared back up at them from the pages. “Any luck?” Sledge shook his head. Twitch gave him a quick peck on the cheek and squeezed his shoulder supportively. “Hang in there, _mon ami_.” Sledge patted her hand and gave her a sad smile before she walked away.

 

Sledge had a few moments of peace to gather his thoughts while he enjoyed his coffee, but before long that, too, came to an end.

 

“Do you know what time it is?” A voice echoed from the other side of the office. Sledge groaned again as his headache grew stronger. “I told you to stop staying up so damn late. Look at you. Have you been here all night? Seamus—”

 

“Miles,” Sledge sighed. “Can’t we save the nagging for some other time? I’m a little busy here.”

 

“A little busy? You’ve been staring at that same file for weeks. No you don’t—come on, get up.” Miles practically dragged him from his chair, which was an amazing feat considering Sledge was built like a brick house and probably weighed it, too. “Between you and Erik I’ve got my hands full. Never seen two grown men so stubborn in my life.”

 

“Where are you taking me?” Sledge said, finally giving up on resisting Castle and letting him drag him to wherever it was he was taking him. He thought they passed by Twitch along the way, but the world was just one big blur.

 

Then Castle pushed down on his back and before he realized what was happening he was splashed in the face with freezing cold water. He jerked up in shock from the cold and took in a sharp gasp as he narrowly avoided bumping his head on the light fixture above the sink. He was wide awake now.

 

“Bloody hell, Miles!”

 

“Move your ass, I’m taking you home.” Miles started pushing him towards the door, but Sledge pushed back against him.

 

“Like hell you are,” Sledge struggled against the other man until he was able to break free from his grip. Castle just sighed and gave him a pitiful look. Sledge didn’t need his pity. He already knew how pathetic he must have looked chasing after a ghost.

 

“Look at yourself—go on, look.” Sledge looked at himself in the mirror and reality hit him. He looked dead tired. There were dark circles under his eyes, and he had significant stubble from not shaving for the past few days.

 

“I hate seeing you like this.” Castle folded his arms as Sledge stood across from him on the other side of the restroom. “You’ve already been taken off the mission. You need to let this go, man.” Sledge didn’t seem to be dissuaded. He sighed in defeat and leaned against the sink. Castle paused for a moment as he contemplated what to say. He shook his head in disbelief at himself. “Would you give it a rest if I told you we know where Streicher is?”

 

“What?” Sledge stood with his mouth agape for a long moment while he processed the revelation. He didn’t know what to feel and everything washed over him at once. “Why didn’t anyone tell me?”

 

“You’re too close to this. You know that. I shouldn’t even be telling you this, but I know how much this means to you.” Sledge understood then. He was too emotionally invested and he knew that. His involvement on the case would only lead to more mistakes. But he just couldn’t let it go. “Promise me first. You won’t be able to go after him on official R6 business but...” Miles trailed off. Sledge’s eyes searched for any sort of insincerity in the American’s face. Miles’ expression never wavered. “Well?” He said.

 

“Show me.”

**Author's Note:**

> I've been holding onto this fic for a couple of months, but I finally got it to a place where I felt I could publish it. I hope you enjoyed! Next chapter will be coming soon.


End file.
